Ogun To Establish Special Court For Rape Cases, Others, Says Abiodun

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said his administration is planning to create a special court which will try rape cases and other forms of sexual violence cases.

The governor said establishing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court would ensure such cases were heard and determined quickly.

He stated further that this would also help to reduce such cases in the state becuase justice would be served and victims would feel relieved.

Abiodun said this when the Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund, Ms Ulla Mueller, visited him at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta.

He lauded the UNFPA for remaining a dependable and committed ally despite that the state had failed to fulfill its obligations for sometime.

He, however, assured the UN agency that the state would release this year’s counterpart fund to the agency.

The governor said, “It is noteworthy that in the last five years, the Ogun State Government had not contributed their own counterpart funding to UNFPA.

“This administration, in line with our priorities, saw the need to strengthen our partnership with you and we immediately resolved that we will begin to put things right, that is the reason why we paid the first tranche of our counterpart fund to you.”

“Despite the fact that the counterpart funding was not forthcoming, your agency remained a dependable and committed ally to the state. “

The UNPFA Country Representative, , hailed the governor for approving the payment and for his commitment to resume to perform the state’s obligation.

She stated that Ogun State was among the lowest in terms of the global level of maternal mortality rate in the country, adding that the state was also on the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate of 32.1 per cent.

She explained that with this rate, Ogun State would soon meet the Family Planning 2020 commitment, of 38 per cent.